Therapeutic bath cabinet



Nov. 3, 1942. I A. LUKATS 3 3 THERAPEUTIC BATH CABINET 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Jan. 11, 1941 NOV 3,1942. LUKATS THERAPEUTIC BATH cmmm Filed Jan;11', 1941 3 Sfieets-Sheet 3 71/ Ill/l lllllllllllllllil r E BYQEXFNDEE(0K4 7:5

ATTORNEYS;

INVENTOR Patented Nov. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES 9 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in therapeutic bath cabinets.

A primary object of my invention is to provide means whereby a patientundergoing hydrotherapy and thermal treatments may be subjected to localtreatments by impacting jets, including impact and heat treatments forthe purpose of eliminating congestion, improving circulation, andotherwise tending to restore the parts so treated to a normal healthycondition.

My invention also contemplates the use of localized impact jets for thepurpose of excitation or relaxation of the nervous system through thespinal nerves, while the patient is reclining on his back.

Further objects of my invention are to provide means for varying thecharacter of the impacting jets, varying the' range of such jets toincrease or diminish the area of the surface to which they are beingapplied, and for changing the direction of certain of such jets in sucha manner that they may continue to be supplied with fluid from pipeconnections within the cabinet Walls while the jetting nozzles are beingshifted from one position to another; and in general toprovide improvedmeans whereby an attendant may subject the patient to localized impactand heat treatments while administering thermal hydro treatments.

In the following description reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved cabinet.

Figure 2 is an end elevationof the open end Figure 10 is a sectionalview of the same, drawn to line Ill-I of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a view of the right-hand end of the fitting shown in Figure9.

Figure 12 is a sectional viewof a modified form of dirigible nozzle.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughoutthe several views.

A bed composed of wooden slats l0 forms the top of a base portion ll ofmy cabinet, which is adapted to house the piping, and may be supportedfrom the floor by legs l2. The slats [0 are covered by a sheet metalpoly-sided housing lid composed of longitudinally extending panels I 3,one of which is provided with windows I4 through which the patient maybe viewed. This housing is hinged to the base portion at [5, whereby itmaybe lifted and swung backwardly to admit the patient. One end wall E6of the lid is provided with an opening through which the head of thepatient may be projected and supported upon a table l8 which is hingedto the housing at l3 and may be adjusted at various angles by means of abrace 20, suitably notched at 2| to engage a cross pin 22 carried by abracket 23. The lid or housing constitutes a hood adapted to enclose thebody and'limbs of a patient undergoing Water or vapor treatments.

Hot and cold water supply pipes and 3| lead to a suitable mixing valve32 mounted on the front wall of the base portion II and connected at 33to deliver water to a cross pipe or header 34 within the chamber, thisheader having outlet valves operable by exterior handles 35, 36, 31 and38, for purposes hereinafter explained. The mixing valve iscontrolled-by the handle 39.

Within the base portion I l I provide a sheet metal water containersuspended from near the top of the base portion and having convergentdownwardly inclined walls and a bottom wall 46 connected with a drainpipe 41, drainage being controlled by a valve 48 having its handle 49connected by a chain 5!] with a valve operating member or handle 5|.

The valve will preferably be spring actuated, a coil spring 52 servingto normally hold the valve in a closed position, to be opened againstthe tension of the spring by swinging the handle 5| to the right inFigure 1. An overflow pipe 54 leads downwardly through the bottom 46 ofthe water chamber from a substantial distance above said bottom, and itslower end connects with the drain pipe 41 below the valve 43, wherebythe cabinet may be given a preliminary heating by delivering a supply ofhot water into the chamber 55 until it overflows through pipe 54. Afterthe cabinet has been warmed, this water may bedraine'd away by openingthe valve at 48. Hot water may be delivered into thecabinet by adjustingthe mixing valve 32 to admit only hot water, and

opening the valve 35 to deliver this water directly into the chamber 55through a short pipe 60 (Figure After the cabinet has been pre-warmed,the hood is swung backwardly and the patient placed in position on thebed slats I0. The hood is then closed, wh'ereupon the patient willordinarily be given a treatment for the purpose of eliminating toxinsand increasing the general circulation.

For administering the horizontal spray, a perforate pipe 62 is securedto one of the upper panels I3. It extends longitudinally along the undersurface of the panel and is provided with multiple apertures adapted todeliver a spray over the body of the patient. A supply pipe leads fromthe header 34, (and the valve associated with the handle 38), rearwardlyacross the cabinet, and upwardly along the rear side of the base portionto a flexible hose connection 64 which connects the pipe 03 with anextension 65 mounted on the hood.

This extension 65 preferably extends through the wall of the hood nearits base and then arouately along the inner surface of the hood to thespray pipe 62. The flexible joint provided by the short length of hose64 allows the hoodxto swing upwardly and rearwardly on its hinge I5carrying with it the extension or section 65 of the spray supply pipe. i

A similar pipe 68 leads rearwardly from the header 34, with its supplycontrolled by the valve associated with the handle 36. This pipe 68 alsoextends upwardlyat the rear of the cabinet and is connected by aflexible joint 69 with an extension I0 secured to the wall of the hoodin the same manner as above described with reference to the extension65.

The upper end of the pipe I0 connects with a longitudinally extendingheader I5 leading to chambered valve supporting blocks or socket members"I6, the cavities 11 of which are supplied with water from the headerpipe I5 through ports 18 (Figure 6). spherically rounded valvesupporting members or balls 80 are mounted for universal oscillation inthe sockets of the members I6, with equatorial portions exposed in thecavities 11, whereby water may be delivered through a port 83in eachball to a bore 84, into the enlarged inner end of which the shank 85 ofa nozzle head 86 may be screwed. Each nozzle head is adapted to receiveinterchangeable nozzle plates 87, (Figures 6 and '7), or 88, (Figure 8),these nozzle plates being secured to the nozzle head by coupling collars89.

The ball is secured in its socket by a cap plate 90 and its outerportion is exposed through an aperture 9I in the associated panel I3 andprovided with an outwardly projecting tubular stud 92 through which avalve stem 93 extends.

The valve stem 93 is of less diameter than the bore 84 in the ball 80.It has an intermediate portion threaded into the ball, and its inner endis reduced in diameter and provided with a valve 94 which seats on thenozzle head 86 around its central aperture 95.

While the ball 80 is allowed to freely oscillate in its socket, it isprovided with a stop pin I00 loosely engaged between flanges IOIprojecting inwardly from one wall of the cavity 11, whereby the ball isprevented from rotating when the valve stem 93 is being rotated to openor close the valve 94.

Means associated with the same source of water supply are provided forsubjecting the spine of a patient to multiple jets directed upwardlythrough the bed upon which the patient reclines. It is frequentlydesirable that these jets be delivered against the spine of a patientwhile the patient is reclining on his back in order to bring aboutrelaxation or stimulation of the spinal nerves according to thetemperature and pressure of the water. To accomplish this I have mounteda pipe I05 along the under side of that portion of the bed whichsupports the body of the patient, and this pipe is provided withmultiple nozzle jet apertures I06 adapted for delivery of impact jetsupwardly through a longitudinal slot I01 in the bed. The pipe I05 may besupplied with water from the header 34 through a valve controlled by thehandle 31 and a feed pipe III! leading inwardly to the nozzle pipe I 05,

For vapor bath treatments I employ an ordinary vapor generator I I5,which is preferably located outside of the cabinet and connected to aperforate pipe II6 which extends longitudinally in the base portion ofthe cabinet underneath a deflector plate I I1, one end of which isinterposed between the pipe H6 and the perforate pipe I05, through whichimpact jets are delivered through the bed slot I01.

In the operation of my improved cabinet the hood is closed and thecabinet heated generally, either by'the electric generator indicated atH5 or by delivering hot water from any source through the pipe 60 intothe pan underneath the bed. After a short period the valve 48 may beopened and this hot water drained away. Thereupon the hood may be openedto admit the patient and then closed and the ordinary spray and vaporbath treatments administered. If impact treatments are desired, thepatient is placed upon his back with his spinal portion covering theslot I 0! in the bed, whereupon the valve at 31 is opened to' deliverthe impact jets from pipe I05 through said slot I 01. Concurrently thevalve at 36 may be opened to deliver water from the same source ofsupply through the pipe I0 and the header I5 to the dirigible nozzles86, and thereby direct impact jets for local treatment of inflamedportions of the body, these portions and the direction of the jets beingobserved through the windows I4. When the treatments have beencompleted, all the valves are closed and the hood lifted and swungbackwardly to release the patient. Thereupon, with all the valvesclosed, water will be permitted to drain from the pipes into the panthrough drain apertures I20 located at the low points in the respectivepipes.

Vapor bath cabinets equipped with spray pipes and means for giving vaporbath treatments are quite common in the art, but I believe I am thefirst to provide such cabinets with means for giving localizedtreatments by means of impact jets and spinal treatments by means ofsimilar jets administered either for therapeutic purposes or forpurposes of diversion while inflamed or swollen parts are beingspecially treated. I believe I am also the first to provide meanswhereby dirigible impact nozzles may be mounted within the cabinet andconnected with an interior source of water supply in such a manner thatthe jets may be delivered and directed against any desired portion ofthe body of the patient by exterior manipulation of a valve stem, whichis free for adjustment, unhampered by water supply connections.

It will be noted that the drain apertures I20 are located in unionfittings I2I. In Figure 9, a modified form of fitting is illustrated, inwhich a tubular water actuated slideyalveis'mounted in a position toclose the aperture I when water is flowing through the pipe. The outletend of the valve is crossed by a flat bar I24 and the inlet end of thefitting is crossed by a bar I25. A coiled tension spring has itsrespective ends secured to these bars and normally holds the slide valveretracted from the drain port I20. But when water is being deliveredthrough the pipe its pressure upon the valve cross bar I24 pushes thevalve into a position closing the drain port I 29. As soon as waterdelivery ceases the spring retracts the valve and allows the pipe todrain.

In Figure 12 I have illustrated a modified form of dirigible nozzle 86a,controlled by a blunt needle valve 94a and provided with a Waterdistributing head 87a, which, when retracted from the port, will allowWater delivery in a solid stream, but when positioned in, or close to,the port will cause deliveries in spray form. In this construction, thenozzle head has its inlet port provided with a socketed fitting 76a inwhich a ported ball 80a is seated, this ball having a ported arm I28coupled to the supply pipe 15a. The valve 94a has a stem 93a threaded inthe noZZle head I30, and the latter is connected with the housing WallI3a by a flexible diaphragm I3I closing the aperture 9Ia in the housing.

I claim:

1. In a therapeutic bath cabinet, the combination with a suitable bedand a superposed hood, of a dirigible jet nozzle mounted in the hood andprovided with a controlling valve, and an exteriorly operable valve stemadapted also to be used for adjusting the nozzle for jet deliveries invarious directions, said nozzle having ported ball and socket jointconnection with a source of supply mounted on the hood,

2. In a therapeutic bath cabinet having a hood hinged thereto, thecombination with the hood, of a valved dirigible jet nozzle membermounted thereon and having ported ball and socket joint connection witha source of supply mounted on the hood, and a flexible connectionbetween the nozzle and hood, said nozzle having its outlet within thehood, and manually operable exterior means for adjusting the valve andpositioning the nozzle.

3. In a therapeutic bath cabinet, the combination with a suitable bedand a superposed removable hood, of a dirigible jet nozzle mounted onthe hood and adapted for delivery of impact jets against variousportions of the body and limbs of a patient resting on the bed, andmeans for si multaneously delivering jets of water upwardly through thebed along its longitudinal center line in that portion upon which thebody of the patient rests, whereby the attention of the patient may bediverted from inflamed parts which are being subjected to impacts from ajet delivered through said dirigible nozzle.

4. In a therapeutic bath cabinet, the combination of a hinged cabinethood, a flexibly jointed supply pipe section carried thereby, a nozzleconnected with said hood by a flexible diaphragm and having ported balland socket connection with said pipe section, a valve in the nozzle, anda valve operating handle exterior to the hood.

5. A therapeutic bath cabinet as set forth in claim 4, in which the hoodis provided with a Window adjacent the nozzle whereby its operation, andthe effect upon the patient, may be viewed.

6. A bath cabinet provided with an interior bed, provided with a slotadapted for registry with the spine of a patient, a water supply pipemounted axially of the bed and provided with lineally aligned nozzleapertures adapted to deliver jets of Water upwardly through said slotalong the longitudinal center line of the bed, said jets being confinedto the spinal region of the patient by the marginal Walls of the slotand supply pipe connections leading inwardly from one wall of thecabinet and provided with an exteriorly operable control valve.

7. In a bath cabinet of the described class provided With an interiorwater retaining pan and a superposed bed, of a valved drain pipeconnected with the bottom of the pan, an overflow pipe leading from apoint above the bottom of the pan to the drain pipe below its valve, andmeans for pre-heating the cabinet including a hot water supply pipeleading into said pan and provided with a manually operable controlvalve.

8. In a bath cabinet having an apertured Wall, a dirigible nozzleflexibly mounted in the Wall aperture, a valve adjustably mounted in thenozzle and provided with a projected spray head,v

and a ported ball and socket inlet coupling connecting the nozzle with asupply pipe.

9. A therapeutic bath cabinet as set forth in claim 3, in which a watersupply duct is connected with said jet nozzles and provided with a drainaperture, a water actuated valve for closing said aperture during jetdelivery, and means for automatically retracting the valve to allow thepipes to drain when Water delivery ceases.

UKA'I'

